ABSTRACT
During the first years of the twenty-first century, the People’s Republic of China (PRC or China) has emerged as the undisputed factory of the world. China’s strength as an economic powerhouse is based primarily on its success as this allembracing production facility, and secondarily as a potentially huge market for the consumption of commercial products. However, the recognition of China’s new status and the growth of fake, pirated or counterfeited products in world markets have developed hand in hand. Many owners of intellectual property rights (IPRs) – especially those in the West – fight a losing battle to protect their interests, such as patents, copyrights, trademarks, brands, logos and domain names, both within China and outside.
